Compassionate Care Award Recipient Margaret Marie

Resident Margaret Marie was presented with the 2015 Compassionate Care Award for her vision and initiative in the creation of InstaAid, an iPad application. She worked with MIT students Beth Hadley, Laura D’Aquila, and Tanya Talkar as they developed the app, an innovative, mobile nurse call system.

Marie explained, “I had been thinking how antiquated our nurse call system was. It was tied to a single place next to our bed, which made it ineffective. We’re an active group. Often residents are not in their beds when they need help.” She continued, “I have lots of ideas, but can’t put them into practice without help. With [the MIT team], I could be the idea person and they could implement the idea. It gave me a lot of confidence. It’s great to feel you’re part of a team even though you’re limited — it’s wonderful.” What Marie doesn’t mention, is that she insisted that whatever the project with the MIT team turned out to be, it had to have potential benefit for all of the residents. In the end, InstaAid can do that and more, it has the potential of helping residents of other long term care facilities.

A resident of The Boston Home for nine years, Margaret Marie grew up in Brookline, MA attending Brookline High School, received her Bachelors degree from Stonehill College and a Masters in Social Work from Simmons College. She spent her career as a Psychiatric Social Worker working at a number of Massachusetts hospitals. Not just a talented techie, Margaret Marie is an accomplished artist who takes watercolor classes, and works independently in pastels and oils.